Home-grown mistletoe could disappear from British countryside in the next 20 years
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A campaign, led by the National Trust, has been launched to protect mistletoe as fears grow that the festive plant could disappear from some parts of Britain in the next 20 years
Campaigners are hoping to encourage shoppers to purchase home-grown mistletoe in the run up to Christmas as a way of helping to secure the future of the traditional orchard.
Cotehele in Cornwall is one of the few remaining National Trust locations where mistletoe is still flourishing. Work is carried out there that ensures a healthy growth of both male and female mistletoe, which eventually leads to huge sales in the build up to Christmas. This proves to be a valuable source of income as the money is poured straight back into protecting Cotehele’s orchards.
Mistletoe has a long-standing affinity with the Christmas period and is recognised as a symbol of ongoing life during the winter months. Couples who kiss under mistletoe are said to prosper with good fortunes and an assurance of fertility, as the plant contains progesterone, the female sex hormone. Mistletoe also acts as a food source to wildlife during the winter months, including birds such as the mistle thrush and blackcap.
By James Massoud
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